@@KelsaRavenlock Not to mention depending on the DJ, it tended to sneak on radio from time to time. First time I ever heard it I was 19 "teen-driving" my 1967 Mustang around the local bypass. (Meaning of course ripping through the beginnings of afternoon rush at between 80 and 90, deftly dodging all the 60 MPH commuters...man I wonder how I survived to 25 sometimes! 🤣) Yeah...first hearing that at over 80 in traffic? I absolutely had to make haste in getting stopped in the emergency lane- I was laughing and tears streaming so hard I could barely see a thing. 😂😂
@@jwb52z9 Doctor Demento was broadcast across the US and Canada into all markets on the largest radio network there was. It was also available in many larger Mexican radio markets due to the sunday simulcasts between them and US stations. As well the song became popular at Trek conventions. I'd say that covers most of North America with out even going into the shows album releases or all the tapes of the show people made and traded.
Anyone who listened to Dr. Demento in the 80s knows a bunch of these like Kenny and star trekken is a demento staple almost always in his funny five since it's released and on several of his compilations. Great video! Love when you do this type of video!
The most interesting part about Bring Me Edelweiss - The KLF released Doctorin The Tardis under the name The Timelords. They then released a book - "The Manual (How To Have A Number One The Easy Way)". Edelweiss used this guide to create their song. Also it's pronounced Edelveiss.
No mention of the fact that "Bring Me Edelweiss" is just new lyrics to the tune of ABBA's "S.O.S."? (Or that the woodpecker laugh is a sample from a Woody Woodpecker cartoon or someone imitating it very well].)
Actually, only the chorus comes from "S.O.S." The song also uses InDeep's "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" and I'm pretty sure that "laugh" you're referring to is just a bunch of yodeling. (It's not mentioned in the Wiki article about the song but I definitely hear bits of New Order's "True Faith"--and that song's video is definitely referenced in the video for "Bring Me Edelweiss"--the part where the two men are slapping each other? That's from the "True Faith" video.) If the "woodpecker laugh" is referring to "Woodpeckers in Space" (which I hadn't gotten to when I posted the above bit) then, no it's not a sample and it's NOT a good imitation.
@@josephwest124 No, the laugh I am talking about is Woody Woodpecker's famous laugh. It was used in the woodpecker song in this video. As for S.O.S. the only parts of this Edelweiss song I heard sounded like ABBA, but then I am not an ABBA fan so I am not sure I remember how the rest of the song goes. In any case, there was no acknowledgement at all of the fact that at least part of it is unmistakably based on S.O.S.
_"(Or that the woodpecker laugh is a sample from a Woody Woodpecker cartoon or someone imitating it very well].)"_ Actually it's neither. It's a very mediocre attempt at best. Literally says "ha-ha-ha-HA-ha." In that same time, Woody says it twice at a staccato like a full-auto mag dump. You'd have to dose Woody with a shot glass full of liquid Valium to get him to laugh that slowly. _"No, the laugh I am talking about is Woody Woodpecker's famous laugh. It was used in the woodpecker song in this video."_ No. It wasn't. A Wish/Temu version maybe, but that barely even resembles the real thing.
Wasn't ever expecting to see love for "May The Cube Be With You." Frickin' love Thomas Dolby. His catalog is pretty solid, he's so much more than his one hit. XD
His song “I love you, Goodbye” is on every playlist I have and everyone I’ll ever have. Dolby is criminally underrated because “she blinded me with science”.
@@tobysgamingworld1550 I think so!! XD Oh man, "I Love You, Goodbye" is so good. Thomas Dolby deserved so much better Stateside, he's extremely underrated. Entire albums of solid music. I also love "Radio Silence" and "Urges" so much XD
wasn't "may the cube be with you" also sort of a reference to Rubic's Cube? If I remember correctly, the hype around that thing also was in the early 80's...
@@JosipRadnik1 Possibly! I know it's a play on "May the Force be with You" at least. XD I hadn't considered he'd be referencing a rubix cube... but they were pretty big back then.
Like the neverending debate will continue the next parts etc Likewise debates on Vocalists,Bass Players,Drummers and Guitarists even with more research widespread knowledge it's awesome to know but the time and that last forever,strikerates and the World 🌎 it would take some
Close to the Edit - Are of Noise (Instrumental), Mexican Radio - Wall of Voodoo, White Punks on Dope - The Tubes, Run Runaway - Slade, Why me - Planet P Project - These were fun and unusual songs.
For Bring me Edelweiss, that samples and takes off from ABBA's SOS. "Darling can't you hear me SOS", ""so when you really love me bring me Edelweiss". I missed it back in the day but for some reason YT offered it up and loved watching the various versions.
Based on your voice, you are a youngster. Many of us were adults in the '80s and know all of this first hand. It is SO good that you found these gems. Again. We know them. Good for you and thanks! And now you know why MTV existed... We got lucky. BTW. Thomas Dolby... very well known. Also... you can't listen to any of this (and then) and not smile. Happy smart and idiotic.
Back when MTV still had videos, and artists knew what videos were for (hint: not to splice together concert clips, or film yourself singing in a hot tub).
Yesss! The Jim Carrey Informer parody Imposter from In Living Color at the end lmao. That show was hilarious and that's one of the best parodies period!!! 👌👌
Fyi, the Video for "I wanna be a Flintstone " WAS in Semi Rotation for 3 months on MTV it was marketed under "MTV Buzz Bin" and "Bring Me edelweiss " the Melody is sampled from "S.O.S" from ABBA
I find no version of "The Golden Age of Wireless" by Dolby to contain "May The Cube Be With You". Instead, it appears as a CD/Cassette Bonus Track on his 1988 album "Aliens Ate My Buick". Also, could have mentioned it was a collaboration with George Clinton.
My guess is that the narrator needs to be introduced to ABBA, and specifically the song SOS, to be able to recognize that particular factoid. The title of this video seems to apply to current teens & young adults, and not those of us who lived through the 80s, if the comments are anything to go by.
It is. And ABBA was furious about it. They wanted to sue, but it turns out their manager, Stig Anderson sold the rights to Edelweiss. Stig wrote the melody, so he legally owns it. ABBA wanted the contract to be null and void. But it was done and was completely legal. ABBA, minus Frida of course, sued Stig and won. But the damage he caused was done. Nothing ABBA could do about Edelweiss.
Geil by Bruce and Bongo sounds a little like David Bowie's Magic Dance in the Labyrinth. Both were from 1986 so hard to say if one influenced the other.
Edelweiss, Geil, Woodpeckers from space and Star Trekking are well known to me. I'm an avid collector of 80's samplers, to get as many songs as possible. And since I'm german, some of these songs were played a lot on german radio. The other stuff looks to be more local songs, which didn't experience much success in other countries. Being a Star Trek fan helps knowing Star Trekking as well 😊😊
Actually I did know May the Cube be With You (because I was a huge Thomas Dolby fan) and Rat In Mi Kitchen (because I was also a UB40 fan). I thought I Wanna be a Flintstone came out in the 90s since it was on the soundtrack for the 1994 movie. Never heard it in the 80s.
I once made a mix tape to send to the Cincinnati office of my former company containing music I listened to including "Bring me Eidelweiss" and one of the gals there said "... this was the kind of music they play on MTV at 2 am when nobody's listening!" Haha! I fully understand how frustrating music search engines can be with song titles and lyrics - one in particular is the song "You and Me, You and Me, Babe" (arm in arm naturally, babe) without getting sent to that annoying Ringo Starr song instead!
It's funny to think that this band in the 80s was wishing for simpler times, yet here we are 3+ decades later wishing for the simpler times of the 80s.
The Flintstone's song I was always under the impression that it was specifically made for the live action movie. I did not realize the song was made before the movie came out. And I never knew about that Mel Brooks song. Learn something new every day.
I never saw the movie, so hearing the song, I immediately thought "they wrote this assuming that if they ever make a movie, it will be licensed." Good to know this can work, my band is about to change focus!
As a Disk Jockey of the 80s I can safely say I've never played nor heard of any of these. And I was always getting in trouble with the program director and even the owner once for playing some quirky song NOT on the Playlist. This was back when vinyl was what we played except when we threw in a cart for spots.
I was little in the 80s, so I only recognize I Wanna Be A Flintstone and Star Trekkin, but I didn't hear that one until I was an adult. Loved the ABC "after these messages" ditty! I remember those fondly.
i remember Geil being played over and over on the radio in germany back in the 80’s. the important thing is that it doesn’t just mean “cool”. it’s sort of a double entendres considering the older version meaning horny or randy.
The song caused quite a few discussions and was even banned in some radio and TV stations (e.g. in Bavaria). For us kids it was great to have something naughty to annoy the parents with.
I was kinda expecting was not was, walk the dinosaur, and I wanna be a cowboy, and there’s a couple of others that have just slipped my mind. Kool list tho. Star trekkin had to be one of my favs tho back then
Executives and producers back then wanted to make money but they didn't always know what was going to hit the mark. Or strike a chord with the public. That's probably how some of these got made I vaguely remember The Flintstones one I probably heard it because I had a computer teacher in junior high school who loved the Flintstones.
You had me until Star Trekkin. I was 13 in 1980 and I can tell you I'm never heard any of the songs before Star Trekkin on your list. But you're way out of line on this one. Nerd culture was certainly not what it is today, but the Dr Demento radio program was syndicated across the country and it featured a lot of very weird songs. Had it not been for Dr Demento, you might never have heard of "Weird" Al Yankovic. But although "Weird" Al is possibly the only superstar to come out of that program, most every popular-on-the-show song is a cult classic and Is well known by a lot of people. Star Trekkin, outside of "Weird" Al's early hits, is one of the biggest songs to come out of the Dr. Demento show.
They really weren't. It was a largely vapid and politically conservative decade full of overproduced bubblegum synth pop (or overproduced glam metal) on the radio and shallow cold war patriotism in theaters. The arcades were cool, though.
You wouldn't know you were born in a very boring time sorry you feel that way that your favorite movie is called ass by now 🤡 nothing beats the 80s song .you just can't stand it I bet you like it more though . It's okay it's not your fault you were born and raised in a more demoralized woke era that you find normal music weird @@FatDave2112
The only songs I know from the list are Rat in Mi Kitchen, Bring Me Edelweiss, Star Trekkin & To Be Or Not To Be. Which were all fairly popular and got plenty of airplay when they were originally released. Everybody probably knows Thomas Dolby more for his hits She Blinded Me With Science (1982) & Hyperactive! (1984).
Me before watching this video: "Weird '80s songs I've never hear of? Ha, try me!" Me after watching the video: "Alright, you got me. I'd never heard any of these songs until today."
I may not have heard these particular songs growing up in the 80s, but most songs in the 80s sounded like this, so I probably wouldn't have noticed anyway.
I did know "Star Trekkin", I am a fan of Dr Demento. The rest, I am glad I missed. I still really like Dr Demento and "Star Trekkin'". I also like "Boot to the Head", also on Dr Demento...
I was well familiar with Thomas Dolby's May the Cube Be With You. Great snappy, poppy, funky tune. Quirky as Dolby does it. I've also heard Bring Me Edelweiss and Woodpeckers From Space.
The Chicken Song by Spitting Image springs to mind. The guy in UB40 who sang Rat in my kitchen was my m8’s Unkle. Also Edielwiess was made after the band read the KLF’s book how to have a number one the easy way and they followed it and indeed had a number one in the UK.
1 - I remember this one; it was one of my favorites back then. 2 - Sounds amusing; I'd give it a listen. 3 - Sounds painful. 4 - ...huh. 5 - That's... kinda funny. 6 - Now that's really funny. 7 - ...that should stay in Europe. 8 - It sounds like they were taking all the drugs. 9 - This might be my favorite one on this list. 10 - I remember this song! Great stuff! ...never knew about the video, though. 11 - Disco sucks. 12 - Unfortunately, I have heard this one.
Some of these are still better than the crap Top 40 today. The Mel Brooks song was not controversial when it came out because we the people at the time knew the difference between comedy and seriousness.
There was a ton of 80's tunes that never went anywhere but the disco's and the odd mix tape passed on from person to person via sneakernet. Edelweiss was played to death on the local dance radio station when it was released in '88. I recall a 12" remix single on cassette as well. Kenny and Star-Trekkin was played to regularly By Demento.
Man i loved Hardware wars .... .. anytime I watch anytime I watch a Star wars movie in the name Obi-Wan Kenobi comes up I always think of Augie 'Ben' Doggie. 😅 It was like a sampling parody that had to be some kind of inspiration to Spaceballs.
You forgot “I want to be Marlon Brando” by Russell Crowe pre acting fame. A lost 80’s classic and the second greatest song about an actor right behind PM Dawn’s “Set a drift of Memory Bliss (Christina Applegate) “ in the 90’s.
Honestly though nothing from that era is as weird as a Barnes and Barnes album. Knowing one of the guys was Will Robinson from the original Lost in Space just added to the strangeness.
Star Trekkin' was a big hit! It spent two weeks at number one in the UK pop chart. The band 'The Firm' was British and made up of various random performers including Tony Thorpe, previously of the Rubettes.
Ha! I had "Woodpeckers From Space" on a mix tap someone gave me when I was in 10th grade (circa 1985). It took me YEARS to discover its source. I mean, talk about obscure!
Definitely never heard of? Hey I’m 53….I was a kid, a tween, a teen and a young adult in the 80s that’s MY decade and Bring Me Edelweiss was MY SONG in 1989…..I’m 100% of Teutonic stock 😂🤣 LOVE that song! It’s been on my playlist ever since then…..
You are right, never heard of any of these. And I was a teenager and in my early 20s during the 80s. And was an avid Trekkie. And no, we didn't get Dr. Demento where I was, sigh.
Saying we don't know Star Trekkin' is like naming 10 foods we've never heard of and one of them is a Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich.
Peanut Butter and Jelly? What is this strange food of which you speak?
It was on Doctor Demento's countdown forever as well as the yearly best of shows.
@@KelsaRavenlock Not to mention depending on the DJ, it tended to sneak on radio from time to time. First time I ever heard it I was 19 "teen-driving" my 1967 Mustang around the local bypass. (Meaning of course ripping through the beginnings of afternoon rush at between 80 and 90, deftly dodging all the 60 MPH commuters...man I wonder how I survived to 25 sometimes! 🤣)
Yeah...first hearing that at over 80 in traffic? I absolutely had to make haste in getting stopped in the emergency lane- I was laughing and tears streaming so hard I could barely see a thing. 😂😂
It's not really that well known in most of the US.
@@jwb52z9 Doctor Demento was broadcast across the US and Canada into all markets on the largest radio network there was.
It was also available in many larger Mexican radio markets due to the sunday simulcasts between them and US stations.
As well the song became popular at Trek conventions.
I'd say that covers most of North America with out even going into the shows album releases or all the tapes of the show people made and traded.
From the thumbnail, I can say that I have listened to one of these songs more times than I can count. Star Trekkin by The Firm. Bless Doctor Demento.
YES! I do love the good Doctor!
Anyone who went to a school disco in the late 1980's and early 1990's within the British Isles has definately heard it more than once.
I absolutely LOVED Star Trekking as a kid, I think I still remember all the words!!
Dead Puppies > Star Trekkin… just say’n
I take you aren't referring to The Jimmy Page Paul Rodgers Firm🤷🏼♂️🤓😎✌🏼
Fish Heads! Fish Heads! Eat Em Up Yum!
I totally remember that!
That was Matthew Modine in the video
@@ShelleyAppell I believe it's actually Bill Paxton.
I met a fish head, took it to the movies, didn't have to pay for it, it was free.
In the morning, laughing happy fish heads..
In the evening, floating in the soup.😁
Anyone who listened to Dr. Demento in the 80s knows a bunch of these like Kenny and star trekken is a demento staple almost always in his funny five since it's released and on several of his compilations.
Great video! Love when you do this type of video!
The most interesting part about Bring Me Edelweiss - The KLF released Doctorin The Tardis under the name The Timelords. They then released a book - "The Manual (How To Have A Number One The Easy Way)". Edelweiss used this guide to create their song.
Also it's pronounced Edelveiss.
I was about 8 or 9 years old when Doctorin The Tardis was in the charts and I thought it was awesome!!
No mention of the fact that "Bring Me Edelweiss" is just new lyrics to the tune of ABBA's "S.O.S."? (Or that the woodpecker laugh is a sample from a Woody Woodpecker cartoon or someone imitating it very well].)
Actually, only the chorus comes from "S.O.S." The song also uses InDeep's "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" and I'm pretty sure that "laugh" you're referring to is just a bunch of yodeling. (It's not mentioned in the Wiki article about the song but I definitely hear bits of New Order's "True Faith"--and that song's video is definitely referenced in the video for "Bring Me Edelweiss"--the part where the two men are slapping each other? That's from the "True Faith" video.)
If the "woodpecker laugh" is referring to "Woodpeckers in Space" (which I hadn't gotten to when I posted the above bit) then, no it's not a sample and it's NOT a good imitation.
@@josephwest124 No, the laugh I am talking about is Woody Woodpecker's famous laugh. It was used in the woodpecker song in this video. As for S.O.S. the only parts of this Edelweiss song I heard sounded like ABBA, but then I am not an ABBA fan so I am not sure I remember how the rest of the song goes. In any case, there was no acknowledgement at all of the fact that at least part of it is unmistakably based on S.O.S.
_"(Or that the woodpecker laugh is a sample from a Woody Woodpecker cartoon or someone imitating it very well].)"_
Actually it's neither. It's a very mediocre attempt at best. Literally says "ha-ha-ha-HA-ha." In that same time, Woody says it twice at a staccato like a full-auto mag dump. You'd have to dose Woody with a shot glass full of liquid Valium to get him to laugh that slowly.
_"No, the laugh I am talking about is Woody Woodpecker's famous laugh. It was used in the woodpecker song in this video."_
No. It wasn't. A Wish/Temu version maybe, but that barely even resembles the real thing.
I was just about to mention that
😂
I've heard of 'Bring Me Edelweiss" but never made the connection to ABBA. That's cool to know.
Wasn't ever expecting to see love for "May The Cube Be With You." Frickin' love Thomas Dolby. His catalog is pretty solid, he's so much more than his one hit. XD
His song “I love you, Goodbye” is on every playlist I have and everyone I’ll ever have. Dolby is criminally underrated because “she blinded me with science”.
And did we just become best friends?😂😂
@@tobysgamingworld1550 I think so!! XD Oh man, "I Love You, Goodbye" is so good. Thomas Dolby deserved so much better Stateside, he's extremely underrated. Entire albums of solid music. I also love "Radio Silence" and "Urges" so much XD
wasn't "may the cube be with you" also sort of a reference to Rubic's Cube? If I remember correctly, the hype around that thing also was in the early 80's...
@@JosipRadnik1 Possibly! I know it's a play on "May the Force be with You" at least. XD I hadn't considered he'd be referencing a rubix cube... but they were pretty big back then.
I think we need a part 2 and 3 to this series ❤
Like the neverending debate will continue the next parts etc Likewise debates on Vocalists,Bass Players,Drummers and Guitarists even with more research widespread knowledge it's awesome to know but the time and that last forever,strikerates and the World 🌎 it would take some
First we need a Part 1 that comes near living up to the title. 🤣🤣🤣
FINALLY! Somebody other than Dr Demento gives Screaming Blue Messiahs props. Still love that album
It's yabba-dabba-doo time!
Yes, great band...their debut album was also killer...
Yep they were killer. Loved em
I loved I Eat Cannibals by Total Coelo.
Bring out the cannibal in me. I eat cannibals. Awesome song
Random fact for you. One of the band's members "Ros Holness" is the daughter of Bob Holness, of Blockbusters TV show fame.
Eh, I don't think it's obscure enough for this list. But it IS a really great song.
Close to the Edit - Are of Noise (Instrumental), Mexican Radio - Wall of Voodoo, White Punks on Dope - The Tubes, Run Runaway - Slade, Why me - Planet P Project - These were fun and unusual songs.
Another "strange" song of the time that i liked was "pervy in the park" by Demented are Go"
Down in Tijuana eating barbecued iguana. Love that song!
For Bring me Edelweiss, that samples and takes off from ABBA's SOS. "Darling can't you hear me SOS", ""so when you really love me bring me Edelweiss". I missed it back in the day but for some reason YT offered it up and loved watching the various versions.
Did you enjoy the version with Nina Hagen? ruclips.net/video/sNuK2AaGfQk/видео.html
I always loved May The Cube Be With You. All of Thomas Dolby's music really.
Based on your voice, you are a youngster. Many of us were adults in the '80s and know all of this first hand. It is SO good that you found these gems. Again. We know them. Good for you and thanks! And now you know why MTV existed... We got lucky. BTW. Thomas Dolby... very well known. Also... you can't listen to any of this (and then) and not smile. Happy smart and idiotic.
Back when MTV still had videos, and artists knew what videos were for (hint: not to splice together concert clips, or film yourself singing in a hot tub).
I grew up in the 80's and have heard several of these actually.
Yesss! The Jim Carrey Informer parody Imposter from In Living Color at the end lmao. That show was hilarious and that's one of the best parodies period!!! 👌👌
Chocolate Wannabe and the Hot Dog Flavored Hot Dog
Fyi, the Video for "I wanna be a Flintstone " WAS in Semi Rotation for 3 months on MTV it was marketed under "MTV Buzz Bin" and "Bring Me edelweiss " the Melody is sampled from "S.O.S" from ABBA
I know I saw it on MTV's 120 Minutes a few times.
A few of these songs got play on MTV's 120 Minutes at some point.
I find no version of "The Golden Age of Wireless" by Dolby to contain "May The Cube Be With You". Instead, it appears as a CD/Cassette Bonus Track on his 1988 album "Aliens Ate My Buick". Also, could have mentioned it was a collaboration with George Clinton.
No mention of Shuttupa Ya Face by Joe Dolce? I think it was released round about 1981/82, I thought it was awesome, although I was about 6 years old!!
1980
also kept vienna from being no.1 😂
He said weird songs, not shite songs😂
Whatsamatta you?
Not nearly obscure enough.
Edelweiss, Star Trekkin & Rat In Mi Kitchen are all very well known. They all had high chart sucess in the UK
The Mel Brooks number brought back a lost memory of hearing that once on Dr. Demento.
The hitler rap was for to be or not to be movie and only Mel brooks could be hitler for a rap and make it work.
And it wasn't controversial. Back then we knew it was comedy
Greetings from Germany, Edelweiß was geil :) I know this 2 nice Songs!, Also Woodpeckers from Space, it was so funny
The chorus of "Bring Me Edelweiss" sounds just like the ABBA song "S.O.S." Why was this factoid not mentioned?
My guess is that the narrator needs to be introduced to ABBA, and specifically the song SOS, to be able to recognize that particular factoid. The title of this video seems to apply to current teens & young adults, and not those of us who lived through the 80s, if the comments are anything to go by.
The way they sang "If you really love me bring me Edelweiss" sounds like it's to the tune of the chorus from "S.O.S." by "Abba".
It is. And ABBA was furious about it. They wanted to sue, but it turns out their manager, Stig Anderson sold the rights to Edelweiss. Stig wrote the melody, so he legally owns it. ABBA wanted the contract to be null and void. But it was done and was completely legal. ABBA, minus Frida of course, sued Stig and won. But the damage he caused was done. Nothing ABBA could do about Edelweiss.
@@JamesStewart-lx5wb I'm surprised he didn't bring that up.
Geil by Bruce and Bongo sounds a little like David Bowie's Magic Dance in the Labyrinth. Both were from 1986 so hard to say if one influenced the other.
It IS.
My dad had I Wanna Be A Flintstone on a mix tape. I thought it was pretty catchy lol.
So there were 2 bands called The Firm in the 80's
Yes Supergroup Rock The Firm who did Radioactive mint song.This Firm is novelty act with Star Trekkin yes their are 2Firms
Yep. Paul Rogers and Jimmy Page.
Edelweiss, Geil, Woodpeckers from space and Star Trekking are well known to me. I'm an avid collector of 80's samplers, to get as many songs as possible.
And since I'm german, some of these songs were played a lot on german radio. The other stuff looks to be more local songs, which didn't experience much success in other countries.
Being a Star Trek fan helps knowing Star Trekking as well 😊😊
I really like the ABBA reference in Bring Me Edeilwess.
SOS
Edelweiss is a pretty cool song mostly because of how it manage to mix so many samples and still be interesting.
I was a teenager in the 80's and Star Trekkin and Hitler Rap were really well known.
Actually I did know May the Cube be With You (because I was a huge Thomas Dolby fan) and Rat In Mi Kitchen (because I was also a UB40 fan).
I thought I Wanna be a Flintstone came out in the 90s since it was on the soundtrack for the 1994 movie. Never heard it in the 80s.
6:07 Charleston Heston by stump video looks like an altered devo whip it
I once made a mix tape to send to the Cincinnati office of my former company containing music I listened to including "Bring me Eidelweiss" and one of the gals there said "... this was the kind of music they play on MTV at 2 am when nobody's listening!" Haha! I fully understand how frustrating music search engines can be with song titles and lyrics - one in particular is the song "You and Me, You and Me, Babe" (arm in arm naturally, babe) without getting sent to that annoying Ringo Starr song instead!
I turned 12 in 1980, and none of these are a surprise.
Wow! I had forgotten The Screaming Blue Messiahs! I remember hearing that sone on the radio!
It's funny to think that this band in the 80s was wishing for simpler times, yet here we are 3+ decades later wishing for the simpler times of the 80s.
The Flintstone's song I was always under the impression that it was specifically made for the live action movie. I did not realize the song was made before the movie came out. And I never knew about that Mel Brooks song. Learn something new every day.
I never saw the movie, so hearing the song, I immediately thought "they wrote this assuming that if they ever make a movie, it will be licensed." Good to know this can work, my band is about to change focus!
As a Disk Jockey of the 80s I can safely say I've never played nor heard of any of these. And I was always getting in trouble with the program director and even the owner once for playing some quirky song NOT on the Playlist. This was back when vinyl was what we played except when we threw in a cart for spots.
I was little in the 80s, so I only recognize I Wanna Be A Flintstone and Star Trekkin, but I didn't hear that one until I was an adult.
Loved the ABC "after these messages" ditty! I remember those fondly.
Tim Buk Three Future So Bright
Bourgeois Tagg I Don't Mind
Pseudo Echo Funky Town
And many more.
i knew woodpeckers from space from a pingu episode where hes listening to it on a record player
I still have I Wanna Be A Flintstone on 45. I love that song.
Edelweiss video also featured a very young Kyra Sedgewick .
Woodpeckers from Space? I had never heard that song back in the 80s 😂
The chorus of "Edelweiss" is originally from ABBA's song, "SOS".
Everyone got that from the first time they hearded even back then...
i remember Geil being played over and over on the radio in germany back in the 80’s. the important thing is that it doesn’t just mean “cool”. it’s sort of a double entendres considering the older version meaning horny or randy.
That's probably why it didn't catch on stateside. Best case scenario, people would've been thinking "Guile" from Street Fighter.
The song caused quite a few discussions and was even banned in some radio and TV stations (e.g. in Bavaria). For us kids it was great to have something naughty to annoy the parents with.
yeah, apparently radio 3 from Stuttgart didn’t have a problem with it. i’m pretty sure that’s where i was hearing it (in Heidelberg)
I was kinda expecting was not was, walk the dinosaur, and I wanna be a cowboy, and there’s a couple of others that have just slipped my mind. Kool list tho. Star trekkin had to be one of my favs tho back then
Executives and producers back then wanted to make money but they didn't always know what was going to hit the mark. Or strike a chord with the public. That's probably how some of these got made I vaguely remember The Flintstones one I probably heard it because I had a computer teacher in junior high school who loved the Flintstones.
More of this...I've heard maybe 3 outta this list and definitely would love to hear more
You had me until Star Trekkin. I was 13 in 1980 and I can tell you I'm never heard any of the songs before Star Trekkin on your list. But you're way out of line on this one. Nerd culture was certainly not what it is today, but the Dr Demento radio program was syndicated across the country and it featured a lot of very weird songs. Had it not been for Dr Demento, you might never have heard of "Weird" Al Yankovic. But although "Weird" Al is possibly the only superstar to come out of that program, most every popular-on-the-show song is a cult classic and Is well known by a lot of people. Star Trekkin, outside of "Weird" Al's early hits, is one of the biggest songs to come out of the Dr. Demento show.
The 80s were the best in All ways
They really weren't. It was a largely vapid and politically conservative decade full of overproduced bubblegum synth pop (or overproduced glam metal) on the radio and shallow cold war patriotism in theaters. The arcades were cool, though.
I know. Why doesn't anyone do parody songs anymore? Even Weird Al hasn't done one in years and years.
The Motown era will never be surpassed.
Almost. The 80’s sucked at being a different decade. I’m really fun at parties.
You wouldn't know you were born in a very boring time sorry you feel that way that your favorite movie is called ass by now 🤡 nothing beats the 80s song .you just can't stand it I bet you like it more though . It's okay it's not your fault you were born and raised in a more demoralized woke era that you find normal music weird @@FatDave2112
I was a huge fan of Dolby back in the day.
The only songs I know from the list are Rat in Mi Kitchen, Bring Me Edelweiss, Star Trekkin & To Be Or Not To Be. Which were all fairly popular and got plenty of airplay when they were originally released. Everybody probably knows Thomas Dolby more for his hits She Blinded Me With Science (1982) & Hyperactive! (1984).
Thomas Dolby had a great lyric with They call her a dumb blonde, they don't know she dyes her hair.
I've heard Rat in Mi Kitchen, Bring Me Edelwiess and Star Trekking more than 100 times in my youth (Denmark)
Rat in Mi Kitchen is a banger! (Texas)
Born in 72. Two songs I do know from the list are Woodpeckers from space and Star Trekkin.
Digging your deep dives! I only knew two or three songs and I was an 80s weirdo. Bravo and salute!
Rat in Mi Kitchen has been one of my favorite reggae songs for a long long time. Nice to see it get some airplay!
Bring Me Edelweiss, Woodpeckers in Space, and Star Trekkin are the only 3 of these songs I have heard.
I was a kid in the 1980's, so Woodpecker in Space was probably my most played song. (edit: at the time, that is)
I am in the UK and have all of those om7 inch apart from Stump & Mink (which I have never heard of)
Me before watching this video: "Weird '80s songs I've never hear of? Ha, try me!"
Me after watching the video: "Alright, you got me. I'd never heard any of these songs until today."
I remember 5 that you played, I remember really well lol
Looking for Pac-Man Fever
Pac-Man Fever is probably too well-known. Maybe Do the Donkey Kong from the same album?
Was Shaddapa You Face too well known for this list?
@@toughbutsweet1 Probably not. That's a good one. Forgot about that one.
@@toughbutsweet1oh I'd say that's pretty well known, maybe too well known for this.
Why ?
15:00 you just made my phone play Bawla Hu Main Bawla by Jaspinder Narula
I may not have heard these particular songs growing up in the 80s, but most songs in the 80s sounded like this, so I probably wouldn't have noticed anyway.
Is it me, or does the rat in the kitchen look like Rattus from Horrible Histories? 🤔
If Charlton Heston gets a mention, why not John Wayne? "John Wayne is Big Leggy" by Haysi Fantayzee (1982) FTW!
Ya I got a dozen songs you never heard, we played them in my basement one summer in the late 80's
I did know "Star Trekkin", I am a fan of Dr Demento. The rest, I am glad I missed. I still really like Dr Demento and "Star Trekkin'". I also like "Boot to the Head", also on Dr Demento...
I was well familiar with Thomas Dolby's May the Cube Be With You. Great snappy, poppy, funky tune. Quirky as Dolby does it. I've also heard Bring Me Edelweiss and Woodpeckers From Space.
I was racking my brain trying to remember where I heard Bring Me Edelweiss until I realized it sampled SOS by ABBA 😂
The Chicken Song by Spitting Image springs to mind. The guy in UB40 who sang Rat in my kitchen was my m8’s Unkle. Also Edielwiess was made after the band read the KLF’s book how to have a number one the easy way and they followed it and indeed had a number one in the UK.
1 - I remember this one; it was one of my favorites back then.
2 - Sounds amusing; I'd give it a listen.
3 - Sounds painful.
4 - ...huh.
5 - That's... kinda funny.
6 - Now that's really funny.
7 - ...that should stay in Europe.
8 - It sounds like they were taking all the drugs.
9 - This might be my favorite one on this list.
10 - I remember this song! Great stuff! ...never knew about the video, though.
11 - Disco sucks.
12 - Unfortunately, I have heard this one.
8:39 this part of this song sounds like the tune of ABBA' SOS
Some of the funny ones were on Dr. Demento.
What is the song in the into?
I’d like to know that to , Shazam doesn’t recognize iy
How is weird science and safety dance not in this list! They were huge!!! The younger generations would love these, though...
Because neither are obscure. They are both quite well known (especially "Safety Dance").
Pingu's favorite record is "Woodpecker From Space". Every kids around the world might have heard that song... 🐧
You’re right I never heard of any of these songs!
We had a Rednex style band in the 80's? Who knew!
I'm an 80's kid, and I've never heard any of these songs. Well done.
Some of these are still better than the crap Top 40 today.
The Mel Brooks song was not controversial when it came out because we the people at the time knew the difference between comedy and seriousness.
There was a ton of 80's tunes that never went anywhere but the disco's and the odd mix tape passed on from person to person via sneakernet. Edelweiss was played to death on the local dance radio station when it was released in '88. I recall a 12" remix single on cassette as well. Kenny and Star-Trekkin was played to regularly By Demento.
Man i loved Hardware wars .... .. anytime I watch anytime I watch a Star wars movie in the name Obi-Wan Kenobi comes up I always think of Augie 'Ben' Doggie. 😅 It was like a sampling parody that had to be some kind of inspiration to Spaceballs.
You forgot “I want to be Marlon Brando” by Russell Crowe pre acting fame. A lost 80’s classic and the second greatest song about an actor right behind PM Dawn’s “Set a drift of Memory Bliss (Christina Applegate) “ in the 90’s.
That Set A Drift song also samples True by Spandu Ballet. 😉
I have two Screaming Blue Messiahs albums, and totally remember I Wanna Be a Flintstone.
"Yon Yonson" Dave Howard Singers is pure gold
Honestly though nothing from that era is as weird as a Barnes and Barnes album.
Knowing one of the guys was Will Robinson from the original Lost in Space just added to the strangeness.
Star Trekkin' was a big hit! It spent two weeks at number one in the UK pop chart. The band 'The Firm' was British and made up of various random performers including Tony Thorpe, previously of the Rubettes.
Ha! I had "Woodpeckers From Space" on a mix tap someone gave me when I was in 10th grade (circa 1985). It took me YEARS to discover its source. I mean, talk about obscure!
My daughter's name is Edelweiss and she loves this song. We have it on vinyl.
I was an 80's kid and know all of these songs. The Firm also released another banger called Superheroes.
Definitely never heard of? Hey I’m 53….I was a kid, a tween, a teen and a young adult in the 80s that’s MY decade and Bring Me Edelweiss was MY SONG in 1989…..I’m 100% of Teutonic stock 😂🤣 LOVE that song! It’s been on my playlist ever since then…..
i had 4 of them on 12 inch and would have had the mel brooks one but no shops would stock it
Where was that? America? Here in Australia it wasn't controversial
@@KevinRiddell-om1gv Ireland just wasn't stocked at the time
Thanks mate! My Google Home went nuts!
Where are me fishheads?
It be famous.
Fish head's was the one of the best 😅
You are right, never heard of any of these. And I was a teenager and in my early 20s during the 80s. And was an avid Trekkie. And no, we didn't get Dr. Demento where I was, sigh.